Abstract: A polypeptide factor derived from the thermophilic eubacterial species Thermus thermophilus has universal protein expression-assisting activity. The polypeptide factor has been named the CzrB protein active in full length or truncated form has the potential to act as a universal protein expression-assisting molecule which can increase the yields of all heterologous proteins produced in E. coli by a mechanism that is independent of the protein being expressed.

Abstract: A polypeptide factor derived from the thermophilic eubacterial species Thermus thermophilus has universal protein expression-assisting activity. The polypeptide factor has been named the CzrB protein active in fill length or truncated form has the potential to act as a universal protein expression-assisting molecule which can increase the yields of all heterologous proteins produced in E. coli by a mechanism that is independent of the protein being expressed.

Abstract: The invention provides a central office metaphor to computing, where features and functions are provided by a one or more servers and communicated to an appliance terminal through a network. Data providers are defined as “services” and are provided by one or more processing resources. The services communicate to display terminals through a network, such as Ethernet. The terminals are configured to display data, and to send keyboard, cursor, audio, and video data through the network to the processing server. Functionality is partitioned so that databases, server and graphical user interface functions are provided by the services, and human interface functionality is provided by the terminal. Communication with the terminals from various services is accomplished by converting disparate output to a common protocol. Appropriate drivers are provided for each service to allow protocol conversion. Multiple terminals are coupled to the network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding signals received from a network and distributing the decoded signals to multiple users. A bulk decoder coupled to a network decodes data received from the network and transmits the decoded data to an interconnect for distribution to a plurality of users. The number and type of bulk decoders may be adjusted in accordance with system load.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for improving the utilization of a resource in a shared client computer environment. The invention overcomes the problem inherent in using traditional computer programs on a shared client, by monitoring the status of an application, determining when an application does not need a resource, and causing the application to stop consuming the resource. In one embodiment, resource consumption is not halted, but the application is caused to use less of the resource. The invention detects when a user has stopped interaction with an application. This can occur, for instance, when the user removes an identifier from the end user terminal. When the user interaction stops, the invention has a mechanism to stop a program from consuming resources (or to reduce its resource usage) and to restart it (or return it to its original state) later.

Abstract: A polypeptide factor derived from the thermophilic eubacterial species Thermus thermophilus has universal protein expression-assisting activity. The polypeptide factor has been named the CzrB protein active in full length or truncated form has the potential to act as a universal protein expression-assisting molecule which can increase the yields of all heterologous proteins produced in E. coli by a mechanism that is independent of the protein being expressed.

Abstract: The present invention is for multi-screen session mobility between terminal groups. The invention uses a set of screen groups and a set of terminal groups to perform a mapping of the screen groups onto the terminal groups. Both the screen groups and the terminal groups have a geometry, which in one embodiment is defined by columns and rows. In cases where the number of columns in the screen group is less then or equal to the number of columns in the terminal group and where the number of rows in the screen group is also less then or equal to the number of rows in the terminal group, a first mapping scheme is employed. In cases where the number of columns in the screen group exceeds the number of columns in the terminal group or the number of rows in the screen group exceeds the number of rows in the terminal group, a second mapping scheme is employed. In one embodiment, the first mapping scheme maps the screen group directly onto the terminal group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing distributed clip-list management. In an embodiment, an application maintains a local clip-list that identifies those portions of a remote frame buffer that are unambiguously associated with the given application, as well as those portions of the remote frame buffer which are disputed between the given application and one or more other applications. Applications may enforce a dispute policy with respect to writing image data to disputed regions of the frame buffer. Applications are able to write to the frame buffer asynchronously, without the use of a frame buffer lock. A clip manager maintains a global clip-list, and responds to messages from the applications by updating the global clip-list and informing those other applications of relevant changes to their own respective local clip-lists.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for synchronizing firmware associated with a first computer device and a second computer device, such as a server and a client computer. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the steps of providing information regarding a characteristic of the firmware associated with the first and second devices, comparing the provided firmware information to determine if the firmware is synchronized, and associating new firmware with the second device to synchronize the firmware if the firmware is found to not be synchronized in the comparing step. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the firmware associated with the second device is not modified unless the integrity of the firmware to be installed on the second device is verified using a digital signature.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptably providing data to a virtual desktop system is described. The computational service provider is configured to prepare and transmit one or more data streams through a viable interconnection fabric to multiple HIDs. The data stream is configured by the computational service provider to adaptably meet the performance needs of the HID receiving the data stream. This enables multiple HIDs to receive variants of the same data stream that may differ in quantity, quality, and/or data format. In one embodiment of the invention, a decode module prepares data for transport by separating decoded data into individual processes. Before a HID may connect to a process the HID is authenticated. The processes are further adjusted by a resource optimization module to take into account the characteristics of each HID requesting access.

Abstract: A system-on-a-chip device is provided, the system-on-a-chip device comprising an on-chip processor and an on-chip dynamic random access memory (DRAM) capable of communicating with the on-chip processor. The system-on-a-chip device also comprises at least one on-chip input/output (I/O) bus capable of communicating with the on-chip processor and the on-chip dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

Abstract: A method for displaying color values in a plurality of images on a display screen in a computer graphics system, wherein the images correspond to a plurality of applications. The graphics system includes a primary frame buffer for pixel values to be displayed in the images, and a plurality of colormap tables related to the images for providing color values to be displayed in the images. A pseudo frame buffer is provided for the applications to store source pixel values for display in the corresponding images. To display the source pixel values in the pseudo frame buffer, for each source pixel the graphics system performs the steps of: identifying the image corresponding to the source pixel value; selecting a colormap table corresponding to the identified image; using the source pixel value as an index to select a color value from the selected colormap table; and storing the selected color value as a pixel value in the primary frame buffer to be displayed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptably providing data to a virtual desktop system is described. The computational service provider is configured to prepare and transmit one or more data streams through a viable interconnection fabric to multiple HIDs. The data stream is configured by the computational service provider to adaptably meet the performance needs of the HID receiving the data stream. This enables multiple HIDs to receive variants of the same data stream that may differ in quantity, quality, and/or data format. In one embodiment of the invention, a decode module prepares data for transport by separating decoded data into individual processes. Before a HID may connect to a process the HID is authenticated. The processes are further adjusted by a resource optimization module to take into account the characteristics of each HID requesting access.

Abstract: The present invention is for multi-screen session mobility between terminal groups. The invention uses a set of screen groups and a set of terminal groups to perform a mapping of the screen groups onto the terminal groups. Both the screen groups and the terminal groups have a geometry, which in one embodiment is defined by columns and rows. In cases where the number of columns in the screen group is less then or equal to the number of columns in the terminal group and where the number of rows in the screen group is also less then or equal to the number of rows in the terminal group, a first mapping scheme is employed. In cases where the number of columns in the screen group exceeds the number of columns in the terminal group or the number of rows in the screen group exceeds the number of rows in the terminal group, a second mapping scheme is employed. In one embodiment, the first mapping scheme maps the screen group directly onto the terminal group.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for detection motion in video in which frames from an incoming video stream are digitized. The pixels of each incoming digitized frame are compared to the corresponding pixels of a reference frame, and differences between incoming pixels and reference pixels are determined. If the pixel difference for a pixel exceeds an applicable pixel difference threshold, the pixel is considered to be “different”. If the number of “different” pixels for a frame exceeds an applicable frame difference threshold, motion is considered to have occurred, and a motion detection signal is emitted. In one or more other embodiments, the applicable frame difference threshold is adjusted depending upon the current average motion being exhibited by the most recent frames, thereby taking into account “ambient” motion and minimizing the effects of phase lag.

Abstract: Authentication and session management can be used with a system architecture that partitions functionality between a human interface device (HID) and a computational service provider such as a server. An authentication manager executing on a server interacts with the HID to validate the user when the user connects to the system via the HID. A session manager executing on a server manages services running on computers providing computational services on behalf of the user. The session manager notifies each service in a session that the user is attached to the system using a given HID. A service can direct display output to the HID while the user is attached to the system. When a user detaches from the system, each of the service's executing for the user is notified via the authentication manager and the session manager. Upon notification that the user is detached from the system, a service can continue to execute while stopping its display to the HID.

Abstract: Authentication and session management can be used with a system architecture that partitions functionality between a human interface device (HID) and a computational service provider such as a server. An authentication manager executing on a server interacts with the HID to validate the user when the user connects to the system via the HID. A session manager executing on a server manages services running on computers providing computational services on behalf of the user. The session manager notifies each service in a session that the user is attached to the system using a given HID. A service can direct display output to the HID while the user is attached to the system. When a user detaches from the system, each of the service's executing for the user is notified via the authentication manager and the session manager. Upon notification that the user is detached from the system, a service can continue to execute while stopping its display to the HID.

Abstract: The present invention is a media interface unit that couples media input (e.g. cameras, microphones) to a network and can receive media input from a network and provide it to playback devices (e.g. monitors, speakers). The interface unit eliminates the need for a computer system when transmitting and receiving media data to and from the internet and other networks. The unit comprises analog audio and video inputs and outputs on one side, and a computer communications network interface on the other side. By coupling sources/sinks of audio/video to one side and by coupling the other side to a network, it is possible to send and receive audio and video data as though the digital communications network were the same as the cables typically used to transport analog audio and video. The invention functions as a multi-media network appliance.

Abstract: A software-based encoder is provided for an end-to-end scalable video delivery system that operates over heterogeneous networks. The encoder utilizes a scalable video compression algorithm based on a Laplacian pyramid decomposition to generate an embedded information stream. The decoder decimates a highest resolution original image, e.g., 640.times.480 pixels, to produce an intermediate 320.times.240 pixel image that is decimated to produce an intermediate 160.times.120 pixel image that is compressed to form an encodable base layer 160.times.120 pixel image. This base layer image is decompressed to form an image that is up-sampled by interpolation to produce an up-sampled 320.times.240 pixel image. This up-sampled image is subtracted from the intermediate 320.times.240 pixel image to form an error image that is compressed and encoded as a first enhancement 640.times.480 pixel layer. The decompressed base layer image is also up-sampled at step to produce an up-sampled 640.times.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mass storage system suitable for incorporation in a video-on-demand server that is capable of detecting and correct errors without a substantial increase in processor capacity or memory buffer size, and without any increase in disk input/output (I/O) bandwidth. The mass storage system includes a server controller, a cluster of data disk drives and a parity drive associated with the cluster of data disk drives. The controller provides video data streams to a number of viewers. Data is stored as contiguous data strips in the cluster of data drives. Each data strip includes a plurality of contiguous data slices logically distributed across the cluster of data drives. A plurality of parity slices, each parity slice corresponding to each data strip, is stored in the parity drive. When the failure of one of the data drives is detected, the parity drive is read in place of the failed drive.